From charming Cape Town and valleys of winelands to dense forests and beautiful game reserves for safaris, there are plenty of reasons to choose a tour in South Africa.
On our holidays in South Africa, there’s a whole world waiting to be explored. There are so many opportunities to see incredible wildlife in their natural habitat on our South Africa tour. In Kruger National Park, you could listen to the ‘dawn chorus’ as you sweep the savannahs in 4X4 vehicles, searching for lions, leopards, elephants, zebra and buffalos. Then escape to the coast to experience Boulders Beach, home to the comically natured beautiful views and a large penguin colony. With a prominent black and white plumage, these birds have been a part of Africa’s wildlife heritage since 1983.
You'll also dive into the fascinating history of the country. At the Cape of Good Hope, travel back in time to the 17th century and relive the origins of this Mediterranean paradise, or discover 300-year-old wineries, surrounded by beautiful landscapes of vines and orchards. Visit the battlefields of the Zulu Wars – Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift – and listen to our specialist Zulu guide reencounter the battle. And, for an extra treat, enjoy have a relaxing ride onboard the Rovos Rail and enjoy afternoon tea as the breathtaking scenes of South Africa pass you by.
"The holiday exceeded our expectations and is definitely value for the money that was paid"
"The local tour guide Craig was fantastic and Rivera tour guide was very organised and informative. Most of the hotels we stayed in were very good."
-Feefo review & photo by guest James on our South Africa tour - December 2024
"Seeing the wildlife up close in Zambia and Botswana was amazing, a major highlight and highly recommended."
"If we could give 6 stars for the wildlife part of this tour we would. Simply sensational with great local Tour Guides."
-Feefo review & photo by guest Andrew on our Victoria Falls, Botswana Safari and Cape Town tour - September 2024
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This was a fantastic trip. We loved South Africa, a beautiful and interesting country with so much to experience. Riviera provided an amazing experience, we experienced the real South Africa. It was really well managed and organised with high quality food and accomodation. This was great value and I would definately book again!
Popular FAQs
The currency of the Republic of South Africa is the South African rand (ZAR). It's one of the most colourful currencies in the world. Coins come in three different colours red for 1-, 2-, and 5-cent coins; yellow for 10-, 20-, and 50-cents; and white for 1-, 2- and 5-rand coins.
The notes feature South African wild animals on the back 10-rand notes are green with a rhinoceros, 20-rand notes are brown with an elephant, 50-rand notes are red with a lion, 100-rand notes are blue with a cape buffalo and 200-rand notes are orange with a leopard.
Cape Town
Often called "the Fairest Cape" - and for good reason - this magical city is nestled between the flat-topped Table Mountain and the sea. With world-class food and an array of unique cultural experiences to enjoy as well as beautiful beaches and breathtaking natural scenery close by, you can enjoy the best of the city and the coast.
Johannesburg
Johannesburg is South Africa's largest city - a vibrant urban centre with trendy boutiques, a thriving music scene, bohemian art and an array of international cuisine.
Kruger National Park
An enormous national park - and one of the most popular in South Africa - the land is steeped in legend and history and home to a wide array of animals, including the "Big Five": Elephant, Lion, Rhino, Leopard and Buffalo. If you want to see incredible wildlife in their natural habitat, this is the place to be.
Winelands
Inland from Cape Town, you'll find the uplands. Thanks to the microclimates produced by the magnificent mountain ranges, the wine produced in the Winelands is world-renowned. This is the perfect place for foodies and wine enthusiasts who can explore the region through their stomachs, travelling from winery to winery and enjoying their fares.
Ride Rovos Rail
The Rovos Rail is a luxurious train that has been beautifully restored with wooden panels, giving it the spirit of a bygone age. It offers a unique way to experience the breathtaking scenery of South Africa and beyond, connecting some of the continent's most iconic destinations with a range of off-train excursions.
Whale watching in Hermanus
Surrounded by nature, Hermanus is stretched along a narrow stretch of land wedged on the shores of Walker Bay. A trip to Hermanus between June and December takes you to the whale-watching capital of the world as these magnificent creatures migrate every year from the cold waters of the Antarctic to breed and raise their calves. You may not even need to get into a boat when the whale bell rings you can easily spot the whales from the shore.
Visit the penguins of Boulder Beach
Protected from the wind and waves by ancient granite boulders, Boulder Beach is the perfect habitat for penguins. Known as jackass penguins because of their distinctive braying, here you see the colony of adorable penguins waddle up and down the beach, diving in and out of the water and hear their unique chatter for yourself.
Visit the Zulu War battlefields
The site of a crushing British defeat and an incredible win against all odds, Isandlwana and Rorke’s Drift is the perfect place to discover more about South Africa's history through the eyes of the soldiers that fought and died here.
Go on a South African safari
The country boasts spectacular biodiversity but the jewels in its crown are undoubtedly the "Big Five": African lions, leopards, rhinoceros, elephants, and Cape buffalo. The best place for wildlife watching is Kruger National Park - home to some of Africa's most iconic species. Elephant, lion, leopard, cheetah, rhino, buffalo, giraffe, hippo and zebra share the bushveld with 136 other mammals and more than 500 bird species.
Average temperatures in South Africa range from 15℃ to 36℃ in the summer and -2℃ to 26℃ in the winter. The country has a patchwork climate, including warm coastal subtropics, hot deserts, humid highlands, and snow-capped mountains. Generally speaking, the country experiences dry sunny winters with cold nights and hot summers with the chance of thunderstorms.
South African food is rich in meat - not just beef, but mutton, goat, chicken and more - and spices.
While German, French and British settlers left their mark on South African cuisine, the two main styles are Cape Dutch and Cape Malay. Cape Dutch was influenced by slaves brought over by the Dutch East India Company from areas like Bengal, Java and Malaysia - these dishes are typically Dutch, meat-based with spices like allspice and nutmeg. Cape Malay was influenced by slaves brought over to South Africa from Indonesia. You'll find popular dishes like bobotie (curried meat and fruit with a creamy golden topping), koeksisters (Afrikaner confectionery made of fried dough infused in syrup or honey), and sosaties (meat cooked on skewers).
Yes, tipping is commonplace in restaurants as people in the service industry rely heavily on tips to make ends meet. In restaurants and bars, 10-20% is standard, it's also standard practice to tip airport porters, R3 to R5 per piece of luggage, as well as tour guides and drivers.
Just under 80% of South Africans are Christian, while 5% are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or other faiths and 15% have no religious affiliation.
South Africa & Costa Rica
Tour Manager Karen talks about Costa Rica and our tours to Southern Africa.
